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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What is the first important distinction that Augustine makes in Book One?
(a) The distinction between "enjoy" and "use."
(b) The distinction between discovering what Scripture teaches and communicating it.
(c) The distinction between the Christian conception of love and the pagan conception of love.
(d) The distinction between learning and teaching.

2. What is the second important distinction that Augustine makes in Book One?
(a) The distinction between encouraging and exhortation.
(b) The distinction between enjoy and use.
(c) The distinction between things and signs.
(d) The distinction between Christian love and pagan love.

3. What is the source of teaching Augustine most advocates?
(a) Angels guiding human teachers in spiritual communities.
(b) Christ dispensing special gifts without communities.
(c) God directing the student to understand His role in Scripture.
(d) Human teachers in human communities.

4. What setting does Augustine recommend for sound Scriptural learning?
(a) Human communities.
(b) A private audience with a well-trained Priest.
(c) An ecclesiastical structure.
(d) A properly sanctioned site of Scriptural education.

5. What is Augustine's perception of God's dispensation of "special gifts" of interpreting Scripture?
(a) That they precede periods of peace and prosperity.
(b) Dispensing of such gifts is atypical.
(c) That they follow periods of oppression of those seeking His blessings.
(d) That they follow miraculous events.

6. What basic fact do the critics discussed in the Preface ignore by discounting teaching from Augustine and others?
(a) The works of writers closer to the time of the authors of Scripture are frequently incomplete, disjointed, and often unverifiable.
(b) The fact that they learned important tools, such as the alphabet, from other humans.
(c) Trial and error application often give non-Christians the opportunity to "mock God."
(d) Many writers have intensely studied Scriptures and have left their impressions for their use.

7. What does Augustine recommend to avoid the negative influences on individual thought?
(a) Paying careful attention to rules for Scriptural learning.
(b) Regular participation in church activities.
(c) Isolating from temptations.
(d) Devoting regular time in prayer to become sensitive to Divine guidance.

8. What does Augustine claim to be the central law of love and the message of Christianity?
(a) That one thing that is illuminated truth is loving God and then thy neighbor.
(b) That one should love God and love thy neighbor.
(c) That the one illuminated truth is to love thy neighbor who loves God.
(d) That one should find illuminated truth to love God and thy neighbor.

9. What doctrine does Augustine introduce to explain how Truth can be seen?
(a) The doctrine of "special gifts of seeing" that God grants when individuals seek eternal truths illuminated by God.
(b) The doctrine of "community vision" is achieved when individuals join their desires to seek eternal truths illuminated by God.
(c) The doctrine of "things and signs" helps an individual know which things and signs illuminate eternal truths.
(d) The doctrine of the "inner eye" that can see eternal truths even when tainted by sin because it is illuminated by God.

10. What does Augustine consider to be the ultimate thing to be enjoyed?
(a) The things that we can develop from our special gifts.
(b) The things that God places in nature for us to use.
(c) The Trinity of Christianity.
(d) The concept of Christian love as practiced in community.

11. How does Augustine expect to get the knowledge that he lacks?
(a) He will confer closely with other learned Priests.
(b) He will extensively study in the library at Hippo Regius.
(c) He will collaborate with members of his church community.
(d) God will give him the knowledge that he lacks.

12. What are the three things Augustine identifies as how God inspires His children?
(a) Signs, things, and enjoyment.
(b) His death, resurrection, and promise of return.
(c) The promise of His return, His illuminated truths, and signs.
(d) His illuminated truths, special gifts, and signs.

13. What are the two primary reasons that Augustine devotes his time to those questions?
(a) God's omnipotence establishes His authority over creation and judgment.
(b) The Christian conception of Christ's deity explains His resurrection and authority over forgiveness.
(c) The two commandments of Christianity to love God and to love one's neighbor.
(d) Because Scriptural infallibility affirms God's role in miracles and prophesy.

14. What does Augustine identify as the relationship between all other things and the object of ultimate worship?
(a) Other things are intended to be used as a means of exhibiting Christian love.
(b) All other things are used as a means to enjoy the Trinity.
(c) All other things can be used for God's purposes through the application of special gifts.
(d) Other things are intended to be used as a means of exhibiting Christian love.

15. What is an important distinction that Augustine teaches students to understand through three Books of "On Christian Doctrine?
(a) The difference between sins of omission and original sin.
(b) The difference between "special gifts" and talents.
(c) The difference between "things" and "signs."
(d) The difference between original sin and human nature.

Short Answer Questions

1. How does Augustine use the items of his example to illustrate his distinction?

2. What Scriptural defense does Augustine use for encouraging critics to consider the validity of "On Christian Doctrine"?

3. What does Augustine write is incompatible with love?

4. Of these influences on personal thought, which does Augustine claim Scripture teaches can lead a Christian to positive patterns?

5. How does Augustine describe humans?

(see the answer keys)

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